This blog is about sharing our experience of living in Singapore from February 2007 thru to February 2012 and all the wonderful things we saw, what we did and the places we have been. In other words, our everyday experiences! This blog will continue to survive as I add more information when appropriate.

Monday, 21 June 2010

the town of the Flat Land - Tanah Rata

This time next week five of us will be ready to leave on the overnight coach to the Cameron Highlands.

I have done many blog postings on our visit there in May 2010 and if you are interested in reading any of them, see the following:

There are a couple of blog posting I did not do, one of them is the town of Tanah Rata and the other is the walk from the SmokeHouse Hotel via the waterfalls to Tanah Rata.This blog posting will be about the town of Tanah Rata.

Tanah Rata is a town located in Cameron Highlands, Pahang, Malaysia. The name "tanah rata" means flat ground in Malay and it refers to the relatively flat area on which the town is located amidst this highland region.

It is a town of contrasts .... a mixture of old and new, of Malay and Western, of clean and dirty, of tourists and locals ..... so be prepared for anything!!

But first of all, you gotta know where you are going .....

above - the main street of Tanah Rata and then the steps to walk up to the stores ....

... and suddenly there is a STARBUCKS ...... just waiting for Andrea!

you just never know what you are going to see as you cross the road or turn the corner ....

and the amazing BUFORI ..... a Malaysian sports car parked outside the bank!

Tanah Rata is the largest town of Cameron Highlands, but its tourist appeal lie mostly with European travellers. This is because of its quieter environment compared with Brinchang, wide spaces and choice of backpacker or budget hotels with their own gardens or walking grounds. Most of the establishments here consist of cafes, sundry shops, souvenir outlets and businesses. Compared to Brinchang, the town has few hotels within the commercial area or shop lots; most are located among the surrounding areas, where there are backdrops of mountains and forest for a serene environment. Some of the famous hotels in Tanah Rata include the Heritage Hotel, located on a hill slope, and the Strawberry Park Resort, located a few km off the main road in a remote, forested area. The bus that travels from Kuala Lumpur to Cameron Highlands will make its final stop here before heading back down. Brinchang is only 5 km away so it's an easy walk if you're fit.

Cameron Highlands was named after and discovered in 1885 by an English man named William Cameron during a survey operation in the Titiwangsa Mountain Range. Forging a path through the dense vegetation, he finally reached a magnificent and sublime plateau ‘shut up in the mountains'. From then on, the British colonists recognised its potential for growing tea, a precious commodity.

My next blog posting will be of the walk to Tanah Rata via the waterfalls.